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Zdeno Chára
| birth_place = Trenčín, CS | career_start = 1997 | draft = 56th overall | draft_year = 1996 | draft_team = New York Islanders }} Zdeno Chára ( , born March 18, 1977) is a Slovak ice hockey defenceman and team captain of Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). At 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), he is the tallest player ever to play in the NHL. Playing career Chara was drafted 56th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. After four seasons with the Islanders, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators during the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. Chára was part of a package deal with Bill Muckalt and the second overall pick in that year's draft (Jason Spezza) that sent Alexei Yashin to New York. As a Senator for four years, Chára found his game and more than doubled his previous offensive totals in his first season with Ottawa. In his second season with the team, 2002-03, Chára made his first All-Star Game appearance and recorded the second hardest shot behind Al MacInnis in the skills competition. The next season, in addition to posting 16 goals and 41 points, Chára recorded the league's third highest plus-minus, behind Martin St. Louis and Marek Malik, culminating into his first Norris Trophy nomination. Although he would lose to Scott Niedermayer as the league's best defenceman, he would join Niedermayer on the NHL First All-Star Team. After the 2004-05, in which Chára played in the Swedish Elite League for Färjestad, he increased his offensive numbers to 16 goals and 43 points, being named to the NHL Second All-Star Team. As Chára's would not come to terms to a new contract with Ottawa, he became an unrestricted free agent at the end of 2005-06. Subsequently, on July 1, 2006, he signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract with the Boston Bruins and was named the team's captain, a role left vacant since Joe Thornton's departure, before the beginning of the 2006-07 season. On January 13, 2007, Zdeno was named to 2007 All-Star Game in Dallas and won the hardest shot competition, clocking a shot at 100.4 mph (161.6 km/h). In 2008, he was voted in as a starter in the All-Star Game for the first time in his career and repeated as the winner of the hardest shot competition, recording an even-faster 103.1 mph (166 km/h) on the radar gun. On March 8, 2008, during a game against the Washington Capitals, Chara suffered a torn labrum in his left shoulder. However, after missing five games, he played the remainder of the season including the playoffs. Upon a first round elimination at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens, he underwent a shoulder operation on April 29. At the end of the season, Chara received his second nomination for the Norris Trophy after tallying a career-high 17 goals, 34 assists and 51 points, marking the fifth straight season he had either matched or increased his previous season's points total. Personal Zdeno Chára married his long-time girlfriend Tatiana Biskupicova on July 14, 2007 in a Catholic church in Nemšová, Slovakia. His father, Zdenek, was a Greco-Roman wrestler who competed for Czechoslovakia in the 1976 Summer Olympics. Chára is an Athletic Ambassador for Right to Play. In July, 2008, he spent two weeks in Africa, going Mozambique in support of the charity, and then climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. Chára is also fluent in five languages: Slovak, Czech, Russian, German and English. Career statistics International play Chara has played for Slovakia in the following international competitions: * 1999 World Championships * 2000 World Championships * 2001 World Championships * 2004 World Championships * 2004 World Cup * 2005 World Championships * 2006 Winter Olympics * 2007 World Championships See also * List of NHL seasons * List of NHL players * List of WHL seasons * List of AHL seasons * List of Boston Bruins players * List of current NHL captains References External links * * Category:1977 births Category:Boston Bruins players Category:Färjestads BK players Category:Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics Category:Kentucky Thoroughblades players Category:Living people Category:Lowell Lock Monsters players Category:National Hockey League All-Stars Category:New York Islanders players Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Slovakia Category:Ottawa Senators players Category:Prince George Cougars alumni Category:Slovak ice hockey players cs:Zdeno Chára da:Zdeno Chára de:Zdeno Chára fr:Zdeno Chára is:Zdeno Chara lv:Zdeno Hara no:Zdeno Chara ru:Хара, Здено sk:Zdeno Chára fi:Zdeno Chára sv:Zdeno Chára